The AC-130 is the idea a group of engineers came up around a table scattered with alcohol and one of them suddenly said: “Hey! Let’s see what will happen if we put an artillery piece on a plane!”

How does an AC-130 work?
Who loads the guns? Who aims them?
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4 ANSWERS
Matthew Clifford
Matthew Clifford, studied at Aperture Science
Answered Apr 9 · Upvoted by Kent Douglas, former U.S. Air Force -- Retired. Flew AC and MC 130s
The AC-130 is the idea a group of engineers came up around a table scattered with alcohol and one of them suddenly said: “Hey! Let’s see what will happen if we put an artillery piece on a plane!”


It worked well. The military bought it, and that’s how the story begins.

Okay, of course that’s not how it begins, but the idea of the entire plane can be compacted into the story above: A large plane carrying superior firepower.

And at that time, there’s no plane that is bigger, heavier or can carry a larger load than the C-130 Hercules.

The AC-130 is the re-modeled and re-purposed cousin of the C-130 and has served with the United States Air Force throughout the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Wars in the Mid-East and continue to offer its service until today as part of the Global War on Terror.

Unlike the C-130 whose main design is to have as much space within its fuselage as possible and also carry the heaviest amount of cargo the Air Force could put inside of its 41 feet long, 9 feet high and 10 feet wide cargo compartment.

The AC-130 reserves all of that space to store ammunition, top-of-the-line sensors and fire control systems along with a complement of weapon systems that seems a little bit too big for the plane to be able to carry at once.

Armaments include (but not withstanding to):

105mm M-102 Howitzer.

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Armaments include (but not withstanding to):

105mm M-102 Howitzer.

40mm BOFORS L/60 Cannon.

25mm GAU-25 cannon.

For later variances also including:

Missiles (Mounted on wing pylons)
AGM-114 Hellfire

AGM-176 Griffins missiles
Bombs (Mounted on wing pylons)
GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs I / II
GBU-44 Viper Strike bombs.

That’s one hell of a combat load for something that’s designed initially as a transport plane. In addition, the AC-130 also comes equipped with multi-spectrum fire control systems, multi-mode navigation radar, long wave infrared and forward looking infrared cameras,… along with powerful electronic warfare suites.


All of them combine and no matter where you hide and how good are your covers, you cannot escape its gun barrel should you one day unfortunately stand at the wrong end.

For such a bulky plane, the AC-130 also carries chaffs and flares to combat missile threats in its area of operation. It’s also because of its oversize body that its combat missions only occur at night to minimise the risk of MANPADS or AA batteries.


When engaging targets, the AC-130 will execute a pylon turn in a circle around the area and pound the ground into atoms with its weapon systems.

The plane is crewed with 13 people, from the cockpit controlling the plane, there are the pilot, the co-pilot and the navigator. Then, controlling the electronic warfare suites and communication systems is the electronic warfare officer.

Then there’s the person who’s supervising the workings and performances of the aircraft: The Flight Engineer.

Boiling down to the folks who actually fire stuffs: There’s the TV Operator (This one is way too familiar making appearance in Call of Duty) who watch the situations and the battlefield below through the multitude of cameras on-board. This is the guy who will do the aiming from his desk.


The Infrared Detection Set Operator, who will look out for infrared missile locks or friendly IR probes and keep tracks of them.

The loadmaster who will keep tag of the ammunition in storage and overseeing the reloading for the weapon systems on-board after they’re fired.

Loader in the spectre loading the munitions.

Last, the four aerial gunners, these guys will help maintain the weapon systems, reload and overseeing the firing process.


From the computer screen of the TV Operator (Sensor Operator), he will guide the guns with a joystick and fire on the same console. He/She will be responsible for all of the weapons. The aiming process is also aided by computer suites on-board.

The 40 and 105mm can be swiveled 12 degrees from side to side, but the 20mm is fixed in place.

The AC-130 not only is the most well-armed aircraft in the air, it’s also a weapon to be reckon for. Although its size and speed is easy for virtually every AA systems to shoot down, you wouldn’t be able to shoot it down if it evaporates you first.